Separator



Aug. 17, 1937. B. scRlMGl-:R

SEPARATOR Original Filed Sept. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T Wflh u A Mfr.

.2. E mm me VC 5 a m V m Hfs frm/HEX AUSL 17, 1937. B. scRlMGl-:R 2,090,075

sEPARAToR Original Filed Sept. 26, 1934 Sheets-Sheet 2 HlllllHIIIIIIIIIIHHHHII Patented Aug. 17, 1937 2,090,075 sEPARA'roR Irvin B. Scrimger, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to John S. Thornton, San Francisco, Calif.

Application September 26, 1934, Serial No. 745,510 Renewed December 21, 1936 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in separators for recovering gold, and other precious metals, from slimes or pulp, especially wherein the gold is not amenable to amalgamation by reason of encasing films which prevent contact with the mercury, and wherein a pulsating electrical current is conveyed through the pulp to decompose said film and thereby facilitate amalgamation.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved separator having improved means for preventing the loss of nonamalgamable gold.

Another object is to provide a new and improved device of the character set forth having improved means for passing a decomposing current through the film of non-amalgamable gold to render the same amenable to amalgamation.

A further object is to provide a new and improved separator for auriferous pulp or tailings having improved means for constantly agitating a supply of mercury to disseminate the same through said pulp to amalgamate particles of gold suspended therein and also to constantly replenish the supply of mercury for the amalgam plates. f

A still further object is to provide a new and improved separator of compact form having improved means for conducting an electrical current through auriferous pulp to render non-amalgamable gold amenable to amalgamation and also having improved means for interrupting said current at regular intervals as well as interrup- V tions of varying periodicity.

A smrfurther object 1s to provide a. simple, compact and eflicient separator having improved means for rendering amenable to amalgamation non-amalgamable gold, whereby the said separator may be easily transported a'nd setup for treating tailings as well as other auriferous pulps or slimes.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of my improved separator;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken detailed view disclosing the manner in which the paddles of the agitator may be removed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, enlarged, of the current interrupting means; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings:

The numeral I is used to designate in general a body having a central receptacle 2 having separate intake and discharge compartments 3 and 4, respectively, arranged upon opposite sides 5 thereof, one side 6 of said receptacle 2 adjacent the discharge being slightly lower than the side 'I adjacent the linlet or intake, in order to induce a natural flow of pulp from said intake through the receptacle 2 and to the discharge comparty10 ment `4'. I

These intake and dischargecompartments extend longitudinally of the receptacle 2 in the form of troughs, and the discharge 4 is provided with a passage 8 from the lower portion thereof 15 back into the lower portion of thev receptacle 2, the purpose 'of which will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

The sides and bottom of the receptacle 2 are lined with a continuous amalgam-plate 9 which 20 is held in place and also electrically grounded by means of two electrodes II, as disclosed in Fig. 3 of the drawings. l f

A plate I2 of suitable insulating material is mounted in each end of the receptacle 2, each 25 plate being provided with a central hub or bearing I4 extending exteriorly of the body I. A suitable metallic bearing I6 is in turn mounted within each insulated bearing I4 and a metallic shaft I'I is in turn rotatably mounted within the 30 bearings I6 with the ends of said shaft extending exteriorly of the body I and receptacle 2 thereof.

Detachably mounted upon the shaft I1 by means of suitable bolts I8 isan agitator I9, preferably formed of two halves, comprising radial 35 arms. An amalgam-plate 2| is placed over the receptacle 2 and serves as a splash-plate to prevent the loss of gold particles when pulp is agitated therein. A second amalgam-platev 22 is adjustably suspended within the receptacle 2 and 4o immediately adjacent the discharge outlet or side thereof, whereby the same may be used to regulate the out-ow of pulp or slime from the receptacle, said plate being lowered or raised to restrict or increase the passage between the bot- 45 tom edge of said plate 22 and the bottom of the receptacle 2. p

Suitable baille-plates 23 are adjustably ususpended within the receiving and discharge compartments 3 and 4 to regulate the passage of pulp 50 therethrough in the same manner as the plate 22.

'I'he shaft I'I is provided at one end and exteriorly of the body I with a suitable pulley 24 l by means of which the agitator I9 may be rotated, and also with a metallic disc 25 having a 55 plurality of longitudinally spaced sections 21, each section 21 comprising segmental sectors of insulating material 28, arranged in spaced peripheral relation to each other, the several sec- 5 tions each having a different number of sectors than the other.

A bar or conductor 29 has slidabiy mounted thereon a sleeve 3I carrying a spring contact 32 arranged to contact the periphery of any one l0 of the sections 21 when moved longitudinally upon said bar 29, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

A source oi' electrical energy 33 has its positive pole connected to the bar 29 while the opposite pole is grounded.

A mercury supply 3B is placed within the bottom of` the receptacle 2 and a cock 31 is alw provided in the bottom of the device to drain the same when required.

In operation, the pulp or slime flows from. a

suitable launder 38 into the receiving compartment 3, and 4the ilow of said pulp from said compartment into the receptacle 2 is regulated and controlled in the usual manner by the baille board 23 therein.

When the receptacle 2 is filled with auriferous pulp, the agitator I9 is rotated by means of the shaft I1 and pulley 24 thereon to agitate the pulp, which action also agitates the mercury supply 36 and disseminates said mercury `through said pulp, thereby contacting and facilitating the amalgamation of particles of free gold suspended therein. I'he agitator action also tends to impel gold particles against the plate 9 lining the sides and bottom of the receptacle 2 as well as against the plate 22 suspended within the pulp.

During rotation of the shaft I1, the disc 26 thereon is also rotated so that the source of electrical energy passes through the contact 32,

40 intermittently through the disc 26, shaft I1 and agitator I9 thereon, thence through the pulp to the plate 9, through the electrodes II to ground, f and thence back to the source of energy 33. As the current is prevented by the insulated plates I2 from passing the shorter distance from the ends of the agitator I9 to the end walls of the receptacle, said current must pass laterally toi the sides and bottom of said receptacle 2 which is lined with the amalgam plate 9. Hence said current is disseminated with the 'disseminated mercury through the pulp. As the current encounters non-amalgamable gold it breaks up or decomposes the surrounding film of said gold and thereby renders said gold amenable to amalgam'ation so that it is readily caught and held by the amalgam plates.

I nd from experience that the lm breaking and decomposition is facilitated if the current is interrupted at regular intervals toproduce a pulsating current. The requisite number of such pulsations, or the periodicity of the interruptions varies with the type of pulp being treated and thereforey I have provided the hereinbefore described disc 26 having different sections, eachl with a different periodicity periphery. Therefore, when the type of pulp and the required periodicity for treatment of the same is determined, the contact arm 32 is moved to that section 21 whichwill produce the requisite has a tendency to further break up and amalgamate hitherto non-amalgamable gold and render the same amenable to amalgamation. The baille board 23 within the discharge compartment further regulates the ow of pulp from the separator and tends to deilect any discharging particles of gold and amalgam into the bottom. of said compartment 4 and into the return passage 8.

The plate 9 is rendered accessible for cleaning, when required, by first drawing oi any remaining supply of mercury through the cock 31, then unbolting and removing the twohalves of the agitator I9. The said plate 9 may then be cleaned while remaining within the receptacle or removed from the same.

The plate 9 is electrically grounded for the purpose of preventing shock to any person who may come in contact with the device While standing upon adjacent wet ground.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A separator comprising a receptacle for containing auriferous pulp and having separate re- -ceiving and discharging compartments on opposite sides thereof; an amalgam plate mounted within and lining the sides and bottom of saidr receptacle; a plate of insulating material mounted within each end of said receptacle, each plate having a central bearing extending exteriorly of said receptacle; an agitator rotatably mounted within said receptacle and bearings for agitating the contents of said receptacle; a supply of mercury within the lower portion of said receptacle; a source of electrical energy flowing from said agitator through said pulp and to said plate to decompose any lm of foreign matter surrounding said gold whereby the same may be more readily amalgamated and adhere to said plate when said pulp and the mercury supply ls agitated by the action of the agitator; means mounted within the receiving compartment for controlling the ilow of pulp into said receptacle; and a second amalgam plate suspended Within said receptacle adjacent the discharge compartment for controlling the ilow of discharge from said receptacle and also to provide an additional surface for the recovery and separation of gold within said pulp,

2. A separator comprising a receptacle for containing auriferous pulp and having separate receiving and discharging compartments on opposite sides thereof; an amalgam plate mounted within and lining the sides and bottom of said receptacle; a plate of insulatingmaterial mounted within each end of said receptacle, each plate having a central bearing extending exteriorly of f said receptacle; an agitator rotatably mounted within said receptacle and bearings for agitating the contents of said receptacle; a supply of mercury within the lower portion of said receptacle; a source of electrical energy flowing from said agitator through said pulp and to said plate to decompose any film of foreign matter surrounding said gold whereby the same may be more readily amalgamated and adhere to said plate when said pulp and the mercury supply is agitated by the action of the agitator; means mounted -within the receiving compartment for controlling the iiow of pulp into said receptacle; a second amalgam plate suspended within said receptacle adjacent the discharge compartment for controlling the flow of discharge from said receptacle and also to provide an additional surface for the recovery and separation of gold within said pulp; and means for conveying mercury and amalgam from the bottom of the discharge compartment back into the lower portion of said receptacle.

3. A separator comprising a receptacle for containing auriferous pulp and having separate receiving and discharging compartments on opposite sides thereof; an amalgam plate mounted within and lining the sides and bottom of said receptacle; a plate of insulating material mounted with in each end of said receptacle, each plate having a central bearing extending exteriorly of said receptacle; an agitator rotatably mounted within said receptacle and bearings for agitating the contents of said receptacle; a supply of mercury within the lower portion of said receptacle; a source of electrical energy flowing from said agitator through said pulp and to said plate to decompose any lm .of foreign matter surrounding said gold whereby the same may be more readily amalgamated and adhere to said plate when said pulp and the mercury supply is agitated by the action of the agitator; means mounted within the receiving' compartment for controlling the flow of pulp into said receptacle; a second amalgam plate suspended within said receptacle adjacent the discharge compartment for controlling the ow of discharge from said .receptacle and also to provide an additional surface for the recovery and separation of gold within said pulp; and means for interrupting the ow of said current at regular intervals to facilitate breaking of said lm.

IRVIN B. SCRIMGER. 

